Obama on Immigration

[Barack Obama-sac]

A bit of background on immigration
The United States was created as a nation of immigrants who left Europe for political, religious and economic reasons. After independence, the new nation maintained an open-door immigration policy for 100 years. Two great waves of immigrants — in the mid-1800s and the late-19th and early-20th centuries — drove the nation's westward expansion and built its cities and industrial base.

After several false starts, Congress passed the immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) in October 1986 — the most sweeping revision of U.S. immigration policy in more than two decades. Using a carrot-and-stick approach, IRCA granted a general amnesty to all undocumented aliens who were in the United States before 1982 and imposed monetary sanctions — or even prison — against employers who knowingly hired undocumented workers for the first time.

In the 1990s nearly 10 million newcomers — the largest influx ever — arrived on U.S. shores, with most still coming from Latin America and Asia.
Change in 1996

The final legislation, which cleared Congress on Sept. 30, 1996, nearly doubled the size of the Border Patrol and provided 600 new INS investigators. It appropriated $12 million for new border-control devices, including motion sensors, set tougher standards for applying for political asylum and made it easier to expel foreigners with fake documents or none at all. The law also severely limited — and in many cases completely eliminated — non-citizens' ability to challenge INS decisions in court.

But the new law did not force authorities to crack down on businesses that employed illegal immigrants, even though there was wide agreement that such a crackdown was vital. As the Commission on immigration Reform had said in 1994, the centerpiece of any effort to stop illegal entrants should be to "turn off the jobs magnet that attracts them."
By 1999, however, amid an economic boom and low unemployment, the INS had stopped raiding work sites to round up illegal immigrant workers and was focusing on foreign criminals, immigrant-smugglers and document fraud. As for cracking down on employers, an agency district director told The Washington Post, "We're out of that business." The idea that employers could be persuaded not to hire illegal workers "is a fairy tale."

Senator Obama’s Position
US Senator Barack Obama (Illinois) supports a system where undocumented immigrants have an opportunity to become US citizens. He encourages illegal immigrants to get right with the law. Eligible immigrants will have to be in good standing and will be required to pay a fine. They will also have to learn English, if they have not yet learned it, and of course they will be required to not break any laws. These undocumented immigrants will have to go to the back of the line to gain their citizenship. Barack Obama together with Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced the Citizenship Promotion Act to ensure that immigration application fees are reasonable and fair. Obama wants to keep immigrant families together. He has fought to pass a comprehensive bill and he will continue to do so until our immigration system is fixed. He feels that sending all illegal immigrants back to where they came from is completely ridiculous.

This is a video where he explains his plan to fix the immigration system.


Works Cited
Greenblatt, A. (2008, February 1). Immigration debate. CQ Researcher, 18, 97-120. October 30, 2008, from CQ Researcher Online, .

Obama, Barack. “Barack Obama and Joe Biden on Immigration.”
barackobama. 29 Oct. 2008 .

Written by Corina Acosta

[Krystal Margaret Reyes]

This is always a very controversial issue, and I understand that it would be impossible to send back all of the immigrants to where they came from, but at the same time, I feel that even though they did wrong, we are making it easy for them to do it. They may be given a few consequences for doing what they did but the severity of it is not great. I know that this may sound a little harsh but to be quite frank I don’t think that plan will stop immigrants from coming here illegally. Immigrants feel that they cannot wait for their papers and become legalized so they feel that having to pay a fine, learning English, and waiting longer in line is all worth coming to America right now. I do agree with Senator Obama, that Mexico should boost their economy and give their citizens more job opportunities which will encourage them to stay in their country and that learning English will be to their benefit if they do choose to become a legal resident. We need to be fair to those who have waited patiently in line to become legal and help them out first.

[Danielle]

I believe that Obama's plan could be very beneficial and effective. My father moved to the United States from Nigeria and he did struggle with immigration issues at first. He came to United States to get an education and raise and family and now he is a u.s. citizen and has raised all of us as great people, we have all been educated, all of my siblings have at least a masters degree and i believe it did offer us a better life and a better future. Obama is willing to give that chance to other immigrants who come into the U.S. with good intentions and he will help them be able to have more opportunities and not struggle as much as they struggle today.

[morgen smart]

I feel that immigration is a touchy subject. I feel that not all immigrants deserve to be here and I think that rules should be strictly enforced. I feel that Obama’s family should also be held accountable and if they are ordered to do something they should do it. They should follow rules just like everyone else should. I feel that they should learn English and be able to hold a job in order to be here and stay here.

[Joe]

The issue on immigration is a big issue in Southwestern states next to Mexico. This issue is a very touchy issue for everyone in america bvecause everybody has there own opinion. I feel that Immagrants can come to America under certain guidlines. Barack Obama's plan I agree with because we do need to give immagrants a chance to become legal citizens. Because it is hard for thes immagrants to become legal citizens because they need to learn certain things before they can become legal. These immagrints that come to America, all they want is a better life.

[Phil]

As a child that was born to two immigrants it is easy for me to agree that immigration is something that america cant just get rid of. people have been coming to this country for over 200 years. I do agree with a stricter set of guidelines for people coming to this country. They shouldnt have to be afraid to come here and apply to be naturalized as an american citizen. I hate how people can say even though they were born here that immigrants are not allowed into a country that was founded on immigration. Those types of people can trace their lineage back to immigrants that found their way here, they have no right to say otherwise. Anyways like i said before that i feel that people shouldnt have to be afraid to cross the border or find other means of being smuggled into the country. I think that all people of the united states should either have greencards and/or be americans. For example my father and his family came from mexico along time ago and became american citizens. Though my mother is still a German citizen she has documentation that allows her to reside in the US, do to the fact that Germany no longer allows dual citizenship. If she wanted, after being married to an american citizen for 25 years i doubt she would have trouble becoming a citizen. I think better guidelines and other ways to keep immigrants and aliens inline.

[Bianca Vargas]

I really liked your essay it was very informing, I knew about some of the stuff you were writing about but I did not know about it in detail. You showed every good piece of evidence. I am very glad that you wrote about this because I as well have family with this issue. I want to know what Obama is doing to try and legalize the illegal aliens. Like you said the largest reason that they come here is for the jobs, and didn’t are founding fathers say that every main has the right to their pursuit of happiness. All these people want is the right to make a life for them some where they can earn it. It does suck, all these people are trying for some dumb people to mess it up for everyone. I think that the next candidate should really consider making the illegal immigrants citizens; it would mean more tax payers, giving us a better economy.

[Jared Nichols]

The whole issue on immigration can be a real touchy subject. Allot of people have friends, family, co-workers, ect. that are here illegally so it tends to hit a little closer to home then some of the other topics. It seems to be a big issue of people being here illegally and it needs to be handled delicately. If someone wants to come into the united states for residency then they need to be able to enter under certain guide lines and regulations. Learning English and being able to sustain a job seem to be the most important ones to me. I wouldn’t go to France and expect everyone there to understand English so I would expect the same for someone from France coming here. I also would want someone from another country to be able to come here and sustain a job in order to benefit the economy instead of just coming here and doing absolutely nothing.

[Danielle Berrones]

As i also wrote about immigration with obama, i agree on everything you are saying, Even though i am legal i feel for you and what you are going through. I think the good ones should not have to suffer for other people that make mistakes. If obama changes this and allows immigrants to be legalized, then maybe things will get better with the country including the jobs, education and such. I know some people will think it is not a good idea, but immigrants are here already illegal. So might as well make them legal. They are human and want a better life for their family and themselves. So I hope obama makes the change and everything works out well. Like he said as long as they learn english and do what they have to do to come, then things should be okay.

[Johanna Estrada]

I really find your essay interesting it contain a lot of information on were to find out. As we all know these is a main issue in here the Unite d States we have a lot of immigration problems on which they don’t help at all. Many people might think that immigrated people are just here to cause problem but not many are here to support there families and to work hard to achieve this. They are not just here to cause problems but instead it find a solution on there lives. I really hope that we get a president that will help this people and also help all those families that have been separated because of this. I like your essay it was a great job!!

[Christopher t]

Immigration is not talked about enough, from what I see at least. Although it does not directly affect me, some of my friend's parents immigrated from Mexico and just got their citizenship not even a year ago. They were worried that they were going to see their parents deported to Mexico until they could get their citizenship. Its sad to see how families are torn apart because of this subject. So we need a fair immigration policy that will allow for flexibility and overall fairness. Everyone knows that not all immigrants are good but there are some that are here to make a living. So i would hope that who ever is the next president has a fair policy on immigration.